Double or single hitch truck.



J. A. DAUGHTERY.

DOUBLE 0R smcus HITCH TRUCK.

APPflcAnou man APR. 26. 1916.

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Patented Sept. 12, 1916.

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JOHN ANDREW DAUGHTERY, OF GOLDSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA.

DOUBLE OR SINGLE HITCH TRUCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed April 26, 1916. Serial No. 93,671.

To all whom 2'2? may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN A. DAUGI-rrnizr, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Goldsboro, in the county of lVayne and State of North Carolina, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Double or Single Hitch Trucks, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is an improvei'nent in double or single hitch trucks, and has for its ob]ec t to provide a truck of the character specified, wherein axles are provided at the ends connected to the body to swing on vertical axes with respect to the body, each axle having an outwardly extending draft bar providcd with a hook for engagement by draft apparatus, and wherein mechanism is provided in connection with each draft bar for preventing disengagement of the draft apparatus from the adjacent hook when the latch is in one position, and for engaging the body to prevent swinging movement of the adjacent axle when the latch is in another position.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a side view of the improved truck, Fig. 2 is a partial central longitudinal section, Fig. 3 is a partial bottom plan view, and Fig. l is a perspective view of one end of the truck showing the latch mechanism.

The present embodiment of the invention is shown in connection with a body 1 of any usual or desired form, and axles 2 are connected with the body to swing with respect thereto, each axle having wheels journaled on its ends, and each axle is arranged within a groove 1 in the lower edge of a bolster 5, and the bolster and the axle are secured together by means of U-shaped clips 6.

A draft bar 7 is connected with the bolster at the center, and the lower section 8 of a fifth wheel is mounted on the draft bar and on the bolster. The upper section 9 of the fifth wheel is connected to standards 10, depending from the body, and it will be noticed that the upper section of the fifth wheel is internally rabbeted on its lower face to receive the upper face of the lower section 8.

A king bolt 11 is passed downwardly through the body through the fifth wheel sections, the bolster, and the outer end of a brace bar 12 to pivotally connect the axle to the body. The inner end of the brace bar 12 is connected to a cross bar 13 on the body, and the outer end' 7 a of the draft bar is offset outwardly and is provided at its extremity with a hook 14. The draft bar is braced against the bolster at the ends thereof and against the axle by means of in clined braces 15, each of which is connected to the axle, the bolt, and the bolster by the U-shaped clip 6 and with the draft bar by a bolt and nut 16.

A latch 17 is pivoted to the portion 7 of each draft bar between bearing lugs 18 on the plate 19, secured to the upper face of the bar, and the latch is normally held in the position shown in full lines or that in dotted lines of Fig. 2 by a spring. One end of the spring is riveted to the plate 19 and to the portion 7 of the draft bar as shown and the other engages beneath the latch between the lugs 18. The latch has a bearing 20, which is square in cross section, and the spring 19 engages this bearing. It will be Patented Sept. 12, 1916.

evident that when the latch is in either the full line position of Fig. 2 or the dotted line position, it will be held in such position by the spring.

The latch has an angular portion 21 at its free end which is adapted to engage the upper face of the portion 7 of the draft bar at the free end of the bill of the hook 1 1, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 2 to prevent displacement of the draft ring or swingletree ring from the hook. When the latch is in the full line position of Fig. 2 the adjacent axle is locked from turning movement with respect to the vehicle. A portion of the body of the latch is offset with respect to the body as indicated at 22, and this portion of the latch is adapted to engage between a substantially U-shaped clip 23 on the body and rigid therewith, for preventing swinging movement of the draft bar and of the axle. As shown this clip has extensions which are bolted securely to the adjacent end of the body.

The improved truck is especially adapted for use for housing tobacco, cotton, peas, potatoes, and the like, that is, in conveying these articles from the field to the barn. The draft animal or animals may be hitched to either end of the truck, for instance, a swingletree may be engaged with either hook, or a double tree. Then a swingle or double tree is engaged with either hook the latch 17 pertaining to that hook which nor: mally is in the position of Fig. 1 is swung into the dotted line position of Fig. 2. The angle portion 21 fits closely against the bill of the hook and closes the hook. At the same time the portion 22 of the latch is disengaged from the clip 23 so that the draft bar is free from the truck body and may turn in either direction to guide the truck.

The axle at the opposite end of the body which is now the rear end is locked to the body merely by swinging the latch 17 upward, or with the latch. in the position of Fig. 1 it would be merely left in such position. When the truck is in the field and loaded it might be advisable or desirable to avoid turning the same, in which event the axle at that end of the truck to which the draft animals are hitched would be rigidly connected with the body by swinging up the latch plate and the upswinging of the latch plate would simultaneously release the swingle or doubletree. The draft animais are now led around to the opposite end, and the swingle or doubletrees engaged with the hook at the said end. The latch plate is then swung down into the dotted line position'of Fig. 2, locking the swinglc or doubletrees in place and at the same time releasing the axle from the body. It will be understood that when built heavy enough for the purpose the truck may be used as a road truck, and it may be drawn by a motor truck instead of draft animals.

I claim l. A truck comprising a body, an axle pivoted at each end of the body to swing on a vertical axis with respect to the body, a draft bar connected with each axle and extending outwardly beyond the adjacent end of the body, each draft bar having a hook at its free end for engagement by draft apparatus, a latch pivoted to each draft bar, a substantially U-shaped clip at each end of the body for engagement by the latch plate to lock the adjacent axle from swinging movement with respect to the body when the latch is in lifted position, said latch being adapted to engage the inner end of the bill of the hook to prevent displacement of draft apparatus from the hook when the latch is in lowered position and free from the body, and a spring for holding the latch in either position.

2. A truck comprising a body, an. axle pivoted at each end of the body to swing on a vertical axis with respect to the body, a draft bar connected with each axle and extending outwardly beyond the adjacent end of the body, each draft bar having a hook at its free end for engagement by draft apparatus, a latch pivoted to each draft bar, means on the body for engagement by the latch at each end thereof to hold the axle rigid with respect to the body, the latch Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

